Government

LIFTING OF QUARANTINE AT FARM LODGE

The Agriculture & Natural Resources Division (ANRD) has today announced that the one calendar month of Quarantine applied to Farm Lodge, St Paul’s, will lapse at midday on Saturday 26 April 2014. Farm Lodge will then be open for business as normal.

The period of Quarantine was applied on 26 March 2014 to the entire premises and land at Farm Lodge, following an outbreak of Fowl Cholera amongst the flock of ducks. In all, 111 ducks died or were humanely destroyed.

The remaining flocks of guinea fowl and chickens have been monitored by ANRD, initially daily, with no signs of any spread of the disease. In the meantime, the duck areas have been cleansed and disinfected, and kept free of any stock.

As a precaution, and based on international data available on this infectious organism, the Economic Development Committee, chaired by Councillor Lawson Henry, has agreed to apply a further five calendar months of Quarantine (until 26 September 2014) on the duck area alone – comprising a pen, yard and small paddock. This small area of Quarantine will remain unstocked with poultry and be out of bounds to the general public.

In all other respects, Farm Lodge will resume for business as usual. Stephen Biggs and Maureen Jonas are commended for their cooperation and hard work which has provided this successful outcome.